Drawer for a heated food cabinet

ABSTRACT

The food warmer oven includes a cabinet  12  having opposing side walls  16, 18 , a top wall  20 , a bottom wall  22 , a back wall  24 , and a front wall  26  defining a heating cavity  28 , the front wall  26  defining an opening  30  into the heating cavity  28 ; a heating source  32  disposed within the heating cavity  28 ; a drawer frame  38  having a pair of opposing side rails  44, 46 , each of the side rails having a front end  48  and a terminal end  50 , the side rails being functionally connected with the side walls  16, 18  of the cabinet in a manner such that the drawer frame  38  can be moved between an open position wherein the drawer frame  38  extends substantially exterior of the heating cavity  28  through the opening  30  and a closed position wherein the drawer frame  38  is positioned substantially within the heating cavity  28 , the front end  48  of the side rails  44, 46  being positioned proximate the front wall  26  and the terminal end  50  being positioned proximate the back wall  24  when the drawer frame  38  is in the closed position; a food tray  42  removably held by the drawer frame  38 ; a door  40  is moveably connected to the side rails  44, 46  of the drawer frame, the door  40  moveable between an open position and a closed position; and a locking mechanism in connection between the door  40  and the side rails  44, 46  of the drawer frame  38  for selectively maintaining the door  40  in the closed position.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to a heated food cabinet andmore particularly, but not limited to, a heated food cabinet thatincludes a moveable food drawer that has a positional drawer door.

BACKGROUND

Food warming devices, are often used in commercial establishments formaintaining prepared foods at a serving temperature. These cabinets arealso used to reheat food products and for storage of food products thatrequire extensive preparation time.

These food warming cabinets include one or more drawers that arepositional within a heated cavity. The drawers include a storage areafor the food that may be either a permanent part of the drawer or aremovable tray or pan. In either situation the food product must beplaced in and removed from the storage area, and the storage area mustbe regularly sanitized.

In the prior art devices having a permanent food storage container aspart of the drawer increases the effort and time required to clean andsanitize the food storage area. First, it is necessary to shut down theheating element for safety reasons resulting in taking the food cabinetout of service, not only for the cleaning process but also during theperiod of time for the heating cavity to cool and then for the period oftime for the heating cavity to again attain the desired temperature.Further, to achieve adequate cleaning the entire drawer must be removedfrom the food cabinet wasting time and often resulting in damage to thedrawer and/or the food cabinet.

Some prior art food warming cabinets include drawers that have aremovable food storage container. These devices allow a user to exchangefood containers within the drawer and permit easier cleaning of the foodcontainer. However, these prior art devices require that a userprecariously grip the food container when placing the container into thedrawer or removing the container from the drawer. The limited access andability to grip the food container is due to the required minimal footprint of the food cabinet and the utilization of a minimal heatedcavity. This limited ability to handle the food container often resultsin accidents wherein the food container is dropped or mishandledresulting in injury to the user or others in the vicinity, damage to thefood cabinet, and loss of food product.

It is thus a desire of the present invention to provide a positionaldrawer door for a food cabinet that address shortcomings of the priorart food cabinets. It is a still further desire of the present inventionto provide a positional drawer that facilitates access to a drawer foodcontainer without sacrificing size limitations or the capacity of thefood cabinet. It is a still further desire of the present invention toprovide a positional drawer door that facilitates quick access forremoving or placing a food container in a food cabinet limiting the lossof heat from the heated cavity, conserving energy, and preventingunnecessary heating of the heat source that may overcook the containedfood product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing and other considerations, the present inventionrelates to food warming cabinets and more particularly a positionaldrawer door for a food cabinet.

It is a benefit of the present invention to provide positional drawerdoor that is movable between an open position to a closed and lockedposition.

It is a further benefit of the present invention to provide a positionaldrawer door that facilitates full access to a food tray for insertingthe food tray into the drawer or removing the food tray from the drawer.

Accordingly, a positional drawer door for a food warming oven isprovided. The positional drawer door is connected to the side rails of adrawer frame in a manner to be moved from a closed position to an openposition. The drawer frame may be adapted to removably carry a foodtray. The positional drawer door is selectively maintained in the closedposition by a locking mechanism connectable between the positional doorand the side rails of the drawer frame.

A food warmer oven is further provided, the food warmer oven includes acabinet having opposing side walls, a top wall, a bottom wall, a backwall, and a front wall defining a heating cavity, the front walldefining an opening into the heating cavity; a heating source disposedwithin the heating cavity; a drawer frame having a pair of opposing siderails, each of the side rails having a front end and a terminal end, theside rails being functionally connected with the side walls of thecabinet in a manner such that the drawer frame can be moved between anopen position wherein the drawer frame extends substantially exterior ofthe heating cavity through the opening and a closed position wherein thedrawer frame is positioned substantially within the heating cavity, thefront end of the side rails being positioned proximate the front walland the terminal end being positioned proximate the back wall when thedrawer frame is in the closed position; a food tray removably held bythe drawer frame; a door moveably connected to the side rails of thedrawer frame, the door moveable between an open position and a closedposition; and a locking mechanism in connection between the door and theside rails of the drawer frame for selectively maintaining the door inthe closed position.

A method of maintaining a temperature of a food product including thesteps of providing a food warmer oven comprising: a cabinet havingopposing side walls, a top wall, a bottom wall, a back wall, and a frontwall defining a heating cavity, the front wall defining an opening intothe heating cavity, a heating source disposed within the heating cavity,a drawer frame having a pair of opposing side rails, each of the siderails having a front end and a terminal end, the side rails beingfunctionally connected with the side walls of the cabinet in a mannersuch that the drawer frame can be moved between an open position whereinthe drawer frame extends substantially exterior of the heating cavitythrough the opening and a closed position wherein the drawer frame ispositioned substantially within the heating cavity, the front end of theside rails being positioned proximate the front wall and the terminalend being positioned proximate the back wall when the drawer frame is inthe closed position, a door moveably connected to the side rails of thedrawer frame, the door moveable between an open position and a closedposition, and a locking mechanism in connection between the door and theside rails of the drawer frame for selectively maintaining the door inthe closed position; providing a desired temperature within the heatingcavity; pulling the door and drawer frame substantially through thefront wall opening from the heating cavity; manipulating the door todisconnect the door from the drawer frame via the locking mechanism;moving the door to the open position; removing a food tray from thedrawer frame; placing a food tray in the drawer frame; moving the doorto the closed position; and manipulating the door to secure the door tothe door frame via the locking mechanism.

The foregoing has outlined the features and technical advantages of thepresent invention in order that the detailed description of theinvention that follows may be better understood. Additional features andadvantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form thesubject of the claims of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features and aspects of the present inventionwill be best understood with reference to the following detaileddescription of a specific embodiment of the invention, when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a positional drawer door for a foodcabinet of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a positional drawer door of the presentinvention shown in the open position; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of an embodiment of the presentinvention with the positional drawer door in the closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Refer now to the drawings wherein depicted elements are not necessarilyshown to scale and wherein like or similar elements are designated bythe same reference numeral through the several views.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a positional drawer door for a foodcabinet of the present invention generally designated by the numeral 10.The present invention includes a food cabinet 12 and a drawer, generallydesignated by the numeral 14, that is movable between a closed positionin which drawer 14 is positioned within food cabinet 12 and an openedposition wherein drawer 14 extends from cabinet 12.

Cabinet 12 may be a cooking or warming oven or holding oven. Cabinet 12includes opposing side walls 16, 18, a top wall 20, a bottom wall 22, aback wall 24, and a front wall 26 forming a heated cavity 28. Cabinet 12may be constructed of stainless steel, aluminum or other suitablematerial for a heating apparatus.

Access to heated cavity 28 is formed by openings 30 created through ordefined by front wall 26. Cavity 28 is heated by a heat source 32 thatmay include any known heat source for cooking and/or warming foodproducts. As shown in FIG. 1, heat source 32 is an electrically chargedconductive heat source. Heat source 32 may be manipulated by controls36.

Cavity 28 may be a single, continuous cavity or comprise separatecavities as illustrated in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, heated cavity 28is divided into two separate heated cavities 28 a and 28 b. The cavities28 a and 28 b are separated by a partition 34 positioned within cavity28 and extending to front wall 26 to form a portion of front wall 26.Each heated cavity section 28 a, 28 b may be heated individually byrespective, separate heat sources 32 a, 32 b disposed within each heatedcavity section 28 a, 28 b. It may be further desired that each heat eachheat source 32 a, 32 b be individually temperature controlled bycontrols 36. The cavity sections 28 a, 28 b may be heated by a singleheat source 32.

Drawer 14 is slidably inserted into cavity 28 through an opening 30formed by front wall 26 (which may include a partition 34) of cabinet12. Drawer 14 includes a drawer frame 38 that is described in detail inrelation to FIG. 2. Drawer frame 38 is moveably connected to cabinet 12so as to allow drawer frame 38 to be moveable from a closed position,wherein drawer frame 38 is positioned within heated cavity 28, to anopen position wherein drawer frame 38 extends from cabinet 12 and heatedcavity 28. Opening 30 is sized so that when drawer 14 is inserted intocavity 28 and positional drawer door 40 is in the closed position,opening 30 is substantially sealed.

Drawer 14 includes a positional door 40 connected to drawer frame 38.Positional drawer door 40 may be moved from a closed position (notshown) to an open position. In the closed position, positional drawerdoor 40 is locked in a position substantially perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis 37 of side rails 16, 18 and abutting rails 16 and 18.When drawer 14 is inserted into cavity 28 in the closed position, anddoor 40 is in the closed position, opening 30 (FIG. 1) is substantiallysealed maintaining heat within cavity 28. When positional drawer door 40is moved to the open position, one end of door 40 is disconnected fromside rails 16, 18 and the door is positioned substantially parallel tolongitudinal axis 37 of side rails 16, 18.

Drawer frame 38 is further adapted to carry a food tray or pan 42. Foodtray 42 may be constructed of materials such as aluminum, stainlesssteel or other suitable sanitary and heat tolerable material acceptablefor food preparation and food service. Food tray 42 may be a shallow ordeep type tray. Food tray 42 is adapted to contain a food product (notshown) for heating the food product or maintenance of the heat of thefood product. Food tray 42 may be removable supported by drawer frame38.

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention 10 facilitates ease of removalof food tray 42 or insertion of food tray 42 into drawer frame 38 andcabinet 12. In the example shown in FIG. 1, positional drawer door 40 isin the open position and drawer frame 38 is in the open position,extending from cavity 28 of cabinet 12. In this configuration a user mayeasily slide or lift the heated food tray 42 from drawer frame 38 andcabinet 12 in a manner to reduce the possibility of tipping or sloshingheated liquids in food tray or container 42, or to insert food tray 42into drawer frame 38.

The apparatus 10 of the present invention permits a user to quickly movepositional door 40 from the closed and locked position to an openposition. With positional door 40 in the open position food tray 42 canbe securely gripped by a user and placed into or removed from drawerframe 38. The present invention provides a novel apparatus and systemthat promotes safety for the user, ease of use, and conservation ofenergy.

FIG. 2 is perspective view of a drawer 14 of the present invention shownin isolation with positional drawer door 40 shown in the open position.With reference to FIGS. 1 through 3, drawer 14 includes a drawer frame38, a positional drawer door 40 and a food tray 42.

Drawer frame 38 includes a pair of opposing side rails 44, 46 that areslidably connected, respectively, to side walls 16 and 18 of cabinet 12.Side rails 44, 46 are adapted to move along a horizontal axis 37. Siderails 44, 46 include a front rail end 48 positioned proximate front wall26 of cabinet 12 when drawer 14 is in the closed position, and aterminal end 50 positioned proximate the back wall 24 of cabinet 12 whendrawer 14 is in the closed position. Side rails 44, 46 may be connectedin known manners to side walls 16, 18 in a manner to facilitate movingdrawer frame 38 between an open position extending from cavity 28, to aclosed position wherein drawer frame 38 is disposed within cavity 28.

Drawer frame 38 may further include a front support 52 and/or a backsupport 54. Front support 52 being positioned between and substantiallyperpendicular to side rails 44, 46 and connected proximate to front ends48 of side rails 44, 46. Back support 54 may be positioned between andsubstantially perpendicular to side rails 44, 46 and connected proximateto terminal ends 50 of side rails 44, 46.

Positional drawer door 40 is hingedly connected to a lower end 56 ofeach of the side rail 44, 46 proximate terminal end 50. Hingedconnection 60 permits positional door 40 to be moved in relation todrawer frame 38. As shown in FIG. 2, hinged or moveable connection 60includes a bracket 66 connected between positional drawer door 42 andlower end 56 of each side rail 16, 18. Moveable connection 60 isillustrated as a bolt with a nut, but other means of connection may beutilized. Bracket 66 further includes a slot 68 to allow hingedconnection mechanism 60 to be repositioned to facilitate moving door 40between the open and closed position.

Drawer 14 includes a locking mechanism 70. Locking mechanism 70facilitates selective positioning of drawer door 40 in a closedposition, substantially perpendicular to the horizontal axis 37 ofdrawer frame 38 as referenced with side rails 44, 46 and connected toside rails 44, 46, to an open position wherein drawer door 40 issubstantially parallel to the horizontal axis 37 of drawer frame 38.

An illustration of the locking mechanism 70 of the present invention isshown in relation to FIGS. 1 through 3. Locking mechanism 70 includes aholding member 70 a releasably connectable with a probe 70 b. Lockingmechanism 70 is positioned in connection with and between side rails 44,46 and positional drawer door 40. Locking elements 70 a and 70 b may bearranged in various configurations to accomplish the desired purpose.

As shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, holding member 70 a includes a tab 72.Tab 72 extends from side rails 44, 46 and is positioned proximate theupper end 58 of front end 48 of each side rail 44, 46. Tab 72 forms akey hole 74, having a first orifice section 76 and a second orificesection 78. First and second orifices 76, 78 are in connection to oneanother. First orifice 76 has a larger diameter than second orifice 78.

Locking mechanism 70 further includes probe 70 b adapted for connectionwith holding mechanism 70 a. Probe 70 b is connected to a positionaldoor opposite the end having hinged connection 60 so as to be alignablewith holding member 70 a. Probe 70 b includes a shaft 80 and attachedhead 82. Head 82 is sized to be smaller than first orifice 76 and largerthen second orifice or second pathway 78. Shaft 80 is formed to have asmaller diameter than second orifice or 78.

The method of use of locking mechanism 70 is described in relation toFIGS. 1 through 3. To close positional door 40, door 40 is pivoted andraised so that head 82 is aligned with first orifice 76. Head 82 isinserted through first orifice 76 and door 40 is lowered so that shaft80 is positioned in second orifice 78. Head 82 is larger than secondorifice 78 and therefore cannot pass through second orifice 78connecting door 40 and side rails 44, 46 in a locking manner. To movepositional door 40 to an open position, door 40 is raised so that head82 is again aligned with first orifice 76. Door 40 is then pivotedremoving probe 70 b from holding mechanism 70 a. Vertical movement ofdoor 40 in relation to locking mechanism 70 is facilitated by movementof hinged connection 60 and movement of bolt 62 within slot 68. Itshould be realized that orientation and connection of holding member 70a and probe 70 b may be as illustrated or reversed so that probe 70 b isconnected to side rails 44, 46 and holding member 70 a is connected todoor 40.

FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of an embodiment of the presentinvention in isolation with positional drawer 40 shown in the closedposition. Head 82 is shown extending through holding mechanism 70 alocking door 40 in the closed position. Slot 68 can be seen indicatingthat door 40 may be raised to unlock door 40 for moving to the openposition.

With Reference to FIGS. 1 through 3, the apparatus 10 of the presentinvention facilitates safe handling of food trays 42 when being insertedinto or removed from a heated cavity 28 of a food cabinet 12. Apparatus10 includes a drawer frame 38 that is adapted to carry a food tray 42.The drawer frame and food tray may be moved from an open positionwherein the drawer frame and food tray extend from the cabinet andheated cavity to a closed position wherein the drawer frame and foodtray are disposed within the cavity. The drawer 40 includes a positionaldoor 40 that can be locked into a closed position in connection with thedrawer frame to seal the opening in cabinet 12 when the drawer isclosed, to an open position facilitating access for gripping the foodtray.

From the foregoing detailed description of specific embodiments of theinvention, it should be apparent that a positional drawer door for afood cabinet that is novel has been disclosed. Although specificembodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein in some detail,this has been done solely for the purposes of describing variousfeatures and aspects of the invention, and is not intended to belimiting with respect to the scope of the invention. It is contemplatedthat various substitutions, alterations, and/or modifications, includingbut not limited to those implementation variations which may have beensuggested herein, may be made to the disclosed embodiments withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims which follow.

1. A drawer having a positional drawer door comprising: a drawer framehaving a pair of opposing side rails, each of the side rails having aterminal end and a front end; and a door moveably connected to the frontend of the side rails in a manner to be positional between an openposition and a closed position.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 furtherincluding a food tray removably disposed within the drawer frame.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1 further including a locking mechanism in connectionbetween the side rails and the door.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 whereinthe locking mechanism includes: a holding mechanism connected to thesides rails proximate the front end thereof, the holding mechanismincluding a keyhole formed therethrough; and a probe extending from thedoor and connectable to the holding mechanism in a manner to maintainthe door in a locked and closed position.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3wherein the locking mechanism includes: a holding mechanism connected tothe door, the holding mechanism including a keyhole formed therethrough;and a probe connected to and extending from each of the side wallsproximate the front end thereof connectable to the holding mechanism ina manner to maintain the door in a locked and closed position.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the door is hingedly connected to the siderails proximate the front end thereof.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1wherein the drawer frame is insertable within a heated cavity formed bya cabinet.
 8. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the door is hingedlyconnected to the side rails proximate the front end thereof.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 4 wherein the door is hingedly connected to the siderails proximate the front end thereof.
 10. The apparatus of claim 5wherein the door is hingedly connected to the side rails proximate thefront end thereof.
 11. The apparatus of claim 3 further including a foodtray removably disposed within the drawer frame.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 6 further including a food tray removably disposed within thedrawer frame.
 13. The apparatus of claim 7 further including a food trayremovably disposed within the drawer frame.
 14. A food warmer ovencomprising: a cabinet having opposing side walls, a top wall, a bottomwall, a back wall, and a front wall defining a heating cavity, the frontwall defining an opening into the heating cavity; a heating sourcedisposed within the heating cavity; a drawer frame having a pair ofopposing side rails, each of the side rails having a front end and aterminal end, the side rails being functionally connected with the sidewalls of the cabinet in a manner such that the drawer frame can be movedbetween an open position wherein the drawer frame extends substantiallyexterior of the heating cavity through the opening and a closed positionwherein the drawer frame is positioned substantially within the heatingcavity, the front end of the side rails being positioned proximate thefront wall and the terminal end being positioned proximate the back wallwhen the drawer frame is in the closed position; a food tray removablyheld by the drawer frame; a door moveably connected to the side rails ofthe drawer frame, the door moveable between an open position and aclosed position; and a locking mechanism in connection between the doorand the side rails of the drawer frame for selectively maintaining thedoor in the closed position.
 15. The food warmer oven of claim 14wherein when the door is in the closed position the door substantiallyseals the opening formed through the front wall of the cabinet.
 16. Thefood warmer oven of claim 14 wherein the locking mechanism includes: aholding mechanism connected to the sides rails proximate the front endthereof, the holding mechanism including a keyhole formed therethrough;and a probe extending from the door and connectable to the holdingmechanism in a manner to maintain the door in a locked and closedposition.
 17. The food warmer oven of claim 14 wherein the lockingmechanism includes: a holding mechanism connected to the door, theholding mechanism including a keyhole formed therethrough; and a probeconnected to and extending from each of the side walls proximate thefront end thereof connectable to the holding mechanism in a manner tomaintain the door in a locked and closed position.
 18. A method ofmaintaining a temperature of food products comprising the steps of:providing a food warmer oven comprising: a cabinet having opposing sidewalls, a top wall, a bottom wall, a back wall, and a front wall defininga heating cavity, the front wall defining an opening into the heatingcavity, a heating source disposed within the heating cavity, a drawerframe having a pair of opposing side rails, each of the side railshaving a front end and a terminal end, the side rails being functionallyconnected with the side walls of the cabinet in a manner such that thedrawer frame can be moved between an open position wherein the drawerframe extends substantially exterior of the heating cavity through theopening and a closed position wherein the drawer frame is positionedsubstantially within the heating cavity, the front end of the side railsbeing positioned proximate the front wall and the terminal end beingpositioned proximate the back wall when the drawer frame is in theclosed position, a door moveably connected to the side rails of thedrawer frame, the door moveable between an open position and a closedposition, and a locking mechanism in connection between the door and theside rails of the drawer frame for selectively maintaining the door inthe closed position; providing a desired temperature within the heatingcavity; pulling the door and drawer frame substantially through thefront wall opening from the heating cavity; manipulating the door todisconnect the door from the drawer frame via the locking mechanism;moving the door to the open position; removing a food tray from thedrawer frame; placing a food tray in the drawer frame; moving the doorto the closed position; and manipulating the door to secure the door tothe door frame via the locking mechanism.
 19. The method of claim 19wherein the locking mechanism includes: a holding mechanism connected tothe sides rails proximate the front end thereof, the holding mechanismincluding a keyhole formed therethrough; and a probe extending from thedoor and connectable to the holding mechanism in a manner to maintainthe door in a locked and closed position.
 20. The method of claim 19wherein the locking mechanism includes: a holding mechanism connected tothe door, the holding mechanism including a keyhole formed therethrough;and a probe connected to and extending from each of the side wallsproximate the front end thereof connectable to the holding mechanism ina manner to maintain the door in a locked and closed position.